Chapter 28
Gabe
“That fucking…GODS ABOVE TAKE HER BEFORE I DO!”
The words bellowed out of me as I flew as fast as I could back toward my territory. The night was still heavy, and we’d barely made it halfway to the meeting point when Cleona had changed her fucking mind.
Because her hair wasn’t nice enough and she didn’t want William, the young vampire king, to see her not at her best. A stupid reason, and one she knew would piss everyone off.
“Maybe tomorrow. I am unsure.”
That had been the entire message sent when every other leader had been at least partway to the meeting point.
She was pulling enough fucking strings that I would not be surprised if Lilis herself was involved with Cleona’s decision.
But if that had been the case, she would have gone through with the meeting and tried to kill us all.
The only reason I knew it was truly Cleona’s decision was the fucking vanity of the reason.
“I’ll shave her head myself,” Algrin snarled.
He flew alongside me, barely able to keep up. We could have used the Hunters, but I trusted my own wings more and Algrin had been in agreement.
“I want the spiral tunnels checked again, every wagon checked again, and the ships at port searched three times if needed…Maverick and Harald could not have gotten far.” I’d already told Algrin this, I’d already given orders to my loyal men, Cact included, but there was nothing else I could do as we flew back.
Nothing I could do to keep Mari safe, this far from her.
It was after midnight when we landed on the rooftop of the castle. “Algrin—”
“I’m on it and will have a report in less than an hour.”
We went in different directions as we touched down.
Algrin to get an in-person view of what had happened since we left. Were there details missed, a ship not searched at the ports?
Me to find Mari.
When she wasn’t in my rooms where I’d left her, a sharp sting of fear hit me between my shoulder blades. “She’s gone back to her rooms, that is all.” I spoke to myself, only to try and assuage the growing unease that something was wrong.
The hall where the Doves were roomed was eerily silent and that sting turned into a sharp stab as I all but broke through her door at the end of the hall.
Relief flowed first, concern second.
Marinnia stood at the balcony, her back to me as she had been that first meeting what felt like a lifetime ago.
“Mari.”
She didn’t turn around, not at first. “Gabe. Did the meeting go well? You’re back early…”
When she turned my mouth dried and all I could do was stare. Whatever thoughts I had left were gone.
What I’d thought was a dress fitted at the waist was a satin robe tied at the waist, gaping everywhere else.
“The meeting, Gabe?”
I took her hand and drew her close enough that I could cup her face, breathing her in…because the entire time I’d been away, the only thing I could think was that she’d be gone when I got back.
That Harald would have circled around somehow, slipped past the guards and…I closed my eyes. “It doesn’t matter, you’re here and I thought…”
“Here.” Mari pulled away, went to a side table and poured two glasses of wine. She brought them both, offering one to me, her fingers brushing mine.
I tipped the glass back, draining it, fighting to focus on something other than her skin, on the soft light against her cheekbones and the desperate need in me to claim her for fear she would be taken.
“The key,” I murmured as I took her drink from her hands and set it on the table. “Myrr said she would be found in my absence. I had to go.”
Mari’s eyes fluttered shut, lashes brushing along her cheeks, a tear slipping out, “I think…I’m not sure. Tell me again, the magic you think she could have?”
We were moving slowly, like a dance, as we spoke, feet taking us closer and closer to the bed.
I slid my hands over her hair, letting the strands slide between my fingers.
“Elemental of some sort, possibly. The two keys we’ve found already…
one heals…one destroys…but they…” my mind was slowing, and I knew I shouldn’t be speaking about the keys we knew…
. “Diana is connected to the earth…Sienna to the heart…they think…maybe…”
“Water?” Mari’s face was all I could see as she laid down next to me.
“Hmm. Maybe.” I reached for her, but my limbs were heavy as if I were…
“I’m so sorry, Gabe,” she pressed her lips to mine, and I felt her hands sliding over my body until she found something…and then the darkness took me.